BBB Auto Line / Ford DSB (Manufacturer IDS) in Kentucky

Kentucky generally requires consumers to use the manufacturer’s certified IDS procedure (16 C.F.R. Part 703 compliant) before pursuing Lemon Law remedies. For most manufacturers in KY, that IDS is BBB Auto Line. For Ford / Lincoln vehicles, it’s the Ford Dispute Settlement Board (DSB). Kentucky does NOT have a state-administered Lemon Law arbitration board.

BBB Auto Line participating manufacturers (KY)

General Motors (Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac) — Bowling Green-built Corvette home-state.
Honda / Acura.
Hyundai / Kia / Genesis.
Mercedes-Benz.
Mitsubishi.
Nissan / Infiniti.
Porsche.
Subaru.
Toyota / Lexus — TMMK Georgetown home-state (Camry, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES).
Volvo / Polestar.

Ford Dispute Settlement Board (DSB)

Ford and Lincoln use the Ford Dispute Settlement Board rather than BBB Auto Line. This is the certified IDS for:

Ford — Louisville Assembly Plant (LAP) home-state (Escape, Lincoln Corsair).
Ford — Kentucky Truck Plant (KTP) Louisville home-state (Super Duty F-Series, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator).
Lincoln — same plants.

Ford DSB procedure parallels BBB Auto Line:

Submit application.
Manufacturer notified.
Hearing scheduled.
Arbitrator decision.
Consumer can accept or reject.

Other IDS providers

Some manufacturers use alternative IDS:

Stellantis (Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler) — National Center for Dispute Settlement (NCDS) historically.
Tesla — generally no certified IDS; proceed directly to court action.

BBB Auto Line procedure

1. Application

Submit via:

Online at bbbprograms.org/auto-line.
Mail using BBB Auto Line forms.
Phone for initial inquiry.

Required information:

Consumer name and contact.
Vehicle make, model, year, VIN.
Date of purchase / delivery.
Current mileage.
Description of nonconformity.
Summary of repair attempts.
Remedy sought (refund, replacement, repair).
§ 367.842 written-notice documentation — show that you’ve sent the manufacturer the required written notice.

2. Acknowledgment

BBB acknowledges receipt and notifies the manufacturer (5-7 business days).

3. Manufacturer’s response

Manufacturer responds — accepting case for arbitration, offering pre-arbitration settlement, or contesting eligibility.

4. Hearing

Hearing scheduled within ~30 days. Can be document-only, in-person, or telephonic / video.

5. Decision

Arbitrator’s written decision within 40 days of hearing.

6. Acceptance or rejection

Consumer has 30 days to accept or reject. Manufacturer is bound if consumer accepts.

Cost

BBB Auto Line is free to the consumer. The program is funded by participating manufacturers. Ford DSB similarly is free.

Why IDS outcomes lean conservative

BBB Auto Line and Ford DSB decisions tend to favor manufacturers more than state-administered arbitration programs (e.g., Connecticut DCP, Florida NMVA Board, Washington AG). Reasons:

Manufacturer funding — incentivizes manufacturer-friendly equilibrium.
Document-heavy procedure — favors manufacturer presentations.
Standard of proof — typically tracks manufacturer’s express warranty obligations.

In KY, IDS is best viewed as a procedural gateway rather than the destination. Most successful KY lemon-law cases ultimately resolve in litigation or post-IDS settlement negotiation.

Strategic considerations

Before submitting

Consult a KY lemon-law attorney first — particularly if KCPA punitive damages or Magnuson-Moss claims are anticipated.
Confirm § 367.842 written notice has been sent — this is a procedural prerequisite even before IDS.
Don’t admit facts that hurt — application becomes part of the record.

During the hearing

Lead with the strongest defect evidence — video, recurring complaints, NHTSA data, TSBs.
Tie facts to the statute — “this was the fourth repair attempt within the Rights Period” maps directly to § 367.842.
Document § 367.842 written-notice compliance.

After the decision

Accept partial-relief decisions only after attorney review.
Reject denials promptly — preserve litigation rights by formally rejecting within 30 days.
Use the IDS record carefully in litigation.

Federal-court strategy after IDS

Because KY’s discretionary state-statute fees make Magnuson-Moss the load-bearing fee-recovery basis, post-IDS strategy typically prefers federal court (E.D./W.D. Ky.) when amount-in-controversy supports it:

IDS denial preserves all litigation theories.
Federal Magnuson-Moss § 2310(d)(2) fees are functionally mandatory.
KCPA punitive-damages claims can be added in federal court via supplemental jurisdiction.

Bottom line

BBB Auto Line and Ford DSB are the standard manufacturer IDS in KY under § 367.842. Approach as procedural step: document carefully, position strategically, preserve litigation theories. Most cases resolve in subsequent settlement negotiation or litigation — where Magnuson-Moss federal fees + KCPA punitive damages provide the primary settlement leverage.

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